Public Procurement – Price no longer the solitary criterion

Suppliers of medicines that take responsibility for environmentally friendly production, will now be rewarded by gaining an advantage in public tenders in Norway.

Sykehusinnkjøp HF, which is responsible for public procurement of medicines for specialist health services in Norway, has announced that it as of second part of 2018 is set to evaluate and weigh environmental impact when purchasing medicines and medical equipment. This means that the lowest price will no longer be the sole criterion. Environmental aspects shall also be a weighted criterion. Representatives from the industry, has for a long time requested for such a change and has thus been heard. The new environmental criterion will most likely mean that the suppliers will have to document a risk assessment and strategy for environmental impact throughout the value chain – including subcontractors and active substance production. The suppliers that can produce such will have a competitive advantage. Thus, price will no longer be weighted with the customary 100%. The weighting of the environment criterion versus price, will not be fixed but announced with each tender. However, according to the Norwegian Regulation on Public Procurement an environmental criterion ought to weighted with at least 30 %.

Suppliers should therefor prepare for new assessments and tasks related to the procurements this upcoming autumn.